Novel approaches in controlling safety of cook-chill meals

There are limited choices of 'fresh' technologies suitable for LSL (long shelf life) cook-chill meals. Preservation with PCs (protective cultures) provides the unique temperature-responsive protection. Bacteriocin production and the reduction in pH constitute the PCs inhibiting mechanism. The process leading to PC application includes the selection of suitable strains, confirmation of antibiosis in a microbiological medium as well as food systems. It was recommended that further studies address the fundamentals of inhibition mechanism and the applied aspects of the application such as the ways of a PC introduction into foods. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.